Drama at Julliard
by recipe for insanity
Summary: Light and L navigate their new relationship with interference from the heirs, an attractive musical genius named Mikami and the stress of not being chained together 24/7. Sequel to A Paparazzi Love Story. Will make better sense if you read Paparazzi.
1. The Heirs Take a Stand

**Title:**_ Drama at Julliard_

**Disclaimer:** Should read _DeathNote_ by Tsugumi Ohba (writer) and Takeshi Obata (artist)

**Rating:** R for Mello's mouth and mild sexual undertones

* * *

**Chapter One: **_**The Heirs Take a Stand**_

L wandered the Wammy's House halls aimlessly. Kids scattered everywhere in his wake. Unbeknownst to him, in his oblivious, asocial state, the scowl etched on his face was scary. Even genius children knew to run if an adult looked like that.

How could in two days time, he lose complete control over his life? He liked his heirs, right? They were, after all, _his heirs_. He was suppose to care for them, train them, and give them attention. And hadn't he done that?

L stopped dead in his ambling, oafish tracks, causing two Wammy children to fall on top of each other to avoid knocking him over. They had been hurriedly following behind his rapid pacing when he had paused without warning. Sprawled on the floor, they quietly disentangled themselves in hopes that he wouldn't notice. He didn't.

Why was he thinking so hard about this? He really should sit down in his trademark position. His I.Q. level and reasoning processes felt a bit off-kilter. He needed the extra brain power to figure this out. Didn't he?

If so, Mello was right.

In fact, just last night, he had wanted to ring Mello's scrawny pale neck. The brat had burst in on him and Light in the middle of some very positive progressing cuddling, despite his explicit withdrawal of the open door policy that usually was in effect when he visited.

Thinking back, the scowl on L's face formed into an even more unattractively shade of frightening and doors slammed as the children realized their idol was going from angry to irate.

* * *

**What Happened Last Night:**

"Dammit, Mello, you're supposed to knock now!" L harshly reprimanded, jumping out of bed and grabbing the hollering ruffian.

Mindless with irritation and behaving out of character, L forgot he was bare-assed as the day he was born. Mello, silenced by shock over his mentor's abnormally outrageous display of anger and unused to seeing any kind of over-the-top emotional responses from him, only stared, mouth unhinged, but eyes contrite.

Light tried to mediate between the two geniuses, sitting up quickly letting the blankets pool around his middle and leaving his bare chest exposed. "He probably just forgot, L. It's only the first night we've stayed here."

In typical Mello fashion, the quick-tempered youth didn't stay silent for long. Hearing Light's excuse set him off and his arguments came tumbling out in the whirlwind way the blonde-haired drama queen did everything.

"I don't forget anything!" Mello ranted, struggling against L's tight hold in hopes of choking Light. When he realized that wasn't going to happen, he turned on L.

"You cannot go making up new rules without discussing them with us first. We have fucking rights, you emotional retard. What're we supposed to do? Play dead. We're not your bitches. You'd rather fuck pretty boy here than spend time with us."

Trying to get his giggles under control, even though he had bristled at Mello's "pretty boy" description, Light couldn't help feeling sorry for L. Truthfully, L's heirs had a point and the man hadn't a clue. Seeing this new side of his lover was fun, especially since he wasn't involved.

"You—," Mello continued, turning towards Light and pointing accusingly, "Near demands we get visitation rights for you too. And I fucking agree. If L thinks you're important, it's our responsibility to make certain that's true! You could just be fucking with his head."

It was too much, Light roared with laughter. Catching his breath, he stared down not one but two irate Wammy geniuses. The former Kira hadn't been entertained so much, since, well never!

Neither one scared him with their threatening glances. He looked them both over menacingly before pulling the covers up to his naked shoulders. Lying down and waving a dismissing hand, he directed, "Sure, whatever you kids want, just take it up with L, but leave me out of the haggling process. I'll follow L's lead on this one."

"Now get out," Light commanded.

Mello felt victorious, before his suspicions at how easily the newcomer gave into his demands invaded. "You better fucking not go back on your word," he snarled.

"Do not think you can boss me around, Mello," Light warned. "The wrath of my justice is too much for even your hot-headedness to comprehend."

And despite Light's best efforts to suppress the Kira side of him, the glint in his eyes gave Mello a scary preview of what he meant. The young heir turned on his heel and regally walked out of the two older males' shared bedroom.

"That was uncalled for Light-kun," L murmured quietly.

"No, it wasn't, L. You have to be firm with smart children and meet them on their level. Anything less and they won't respect you," Light explained encouragingly. "You're obviously too soft on them. I think it's cute though."

Light patted L's arm comfortingly when he saw the other man's confused look. Then to show L he was worn out from the Mello showdown, he kissed his lover goodnight. As he flipped over to his side, L heard him lightly chuckle under his breath, "emotional retard, indeed."

If there was one description that L would never have termed himself, it was soft. If there was another description that L would never have termed himself, it was cute. Light had just used both of these to describe him. In a state of incomprehension and of something remarkably like embarrassment, L lay rigidly on his side of the bed for the rest of the night. It's not like he slept all that much, anyway.

* * *

_To be honest, this story shouldn't exist. I had no plans nor desire to write it, however, the damn thing wouldn't let me be. So here you go. If it sucks, my apologies. Sometimes, my muse cannot be controlled or crushed. A sequel to A Paparazzi Love Story. It starts, literally two days after Paparazzi ended. Enjoy? _


	2. L Does Not Teach Sex Ed!

**Title:** _Drama at Julliard_

**Disclaimer:** Should read _DeathNote_ by Tsugumi Ohba (writer) and Takeshi Obata (artist)

**Rating:** R for Mello's mouth and mild sexual undertones

* * *

**Chapter Two: **_**L Does Not Teach Sex Ed!**_

Too soft? He really wasn't a push-over, was he? L thought about how he treated his heirs. How well did he really know any of them? Sure, Matt and Mello were rambunctious. Wasn't that normal for boys?

Deciding to go find his heirs and ask them point blank rather than continue this circular introspection, the detective took a tentative step forward before abruptly stopping again. Where to look for them floated to the forefront of his mind before he was felled flat on his face. He would have stayed upright if he had had his wits about him.

L rolled over onto his back, wincing at the movement. He was getting too old for this kind of thing. Or in the very least, he should consider changing his diet to include more than just fruits and fructose-filled candies, sweets and cakes.

"Hello, Mello. Matt." L greeted the two boys looking down on him. Finding the positive in the situation was easy; this precipitous meeting would save him the trouble of having to find them. If Roger was to be believed, and after spending two obnoxious-filled days with Mello, L certainly believed a manhunt would be necessary to find these two if they didn't want to be found.

"L," Mello intoned, keeping any hint of remorse out of his expression even though he did feel bad for knocking the older man down.

"Ahoy matey, all hands on deck. L needs to go aloft," Matt laughingly role-played, pulling with all his might on one of L's arms.

"Dude, quit acting like a FNG and help me pull him up!" Matt bellowed. His face nearly as red as his hair from the exertion. He probably wouldn't be so out of breath if he could have used both hands, but he refused to put down his Nintendo DS.

Mello shook his head, folded his arms across his chest and glared. "You smoke, Matt. Quit before you keel over on me!"

L moved to sit up before the two lunged at each other. Now upright in a sitting position, he could see Matt could have cared less.

The redhead's attention was already claimed by the game console again, and he chucked L's arm limply back to him. Green-tinted goggles pulled over his eyes, L couldn't figure out what the boy was thinking. He must have felt the detective's gaze. His glance to make certain L was fine lasted all of about a millisecond before his thumbs went back to moving like Flash Gordon.

The blonde-haired heir shrugged as L languidly straightened his back. "What a waste of my time. Get the fuck up," he demanded. His arms remained folded across his chest as he watched with feigned disinterest as L finally stood tall.

When he was fully standing, L wasn't certain how to proceed.

Mello in all his angry, angsty adolescence glory was staring hatefully at him. Usually, he was L's biggest fan. What happened here? L racked his brain as he met the blonde-haired youth's stare face on.

Matt finally noticing the distinct lack of talking going on around the other two, peered up long enough to shake his head amusedly. "Shit, die Noise bastard die!" A bit more muttering about noise and how being invisible sucked and then he paused the game.

"I am surrounded by idiots," Matt remarked exasperatedly, jerking his head in a _what gives_ motion in Mello's direction.

"Mello and I are nothing alike, except that we are most assuredly not idiots," L said imperiously. His leather clad heir harrumphed in agreement, looking like he might punch his best friend at Wammy's House for insulting him so.

"Matt," L questioned in effort to reclaim the boy's attention and waylay Mello's increasingly nasty disposition, "Is there any particular reason why you are using nautical terminology?"

Matt simply shrugged, looking at L like he was daft for asking, before replying, "It's the language of the inhabitants on the Mothership."

"His clan has him programmed to respond that way," Mello attempted to explain, but only succeeded in confusing L more.

"The Mothership?" L postulated, aiming his questioning gaze on Mello, the less mentally challenged of the two at the moment.

"Clan?" he asked curiously. "Are we in a clan?"

Mello snorted in disgust, "Are you fucking kidding me? No. His fellow gamers on the _Homeworld_ game series," he explained, answering for his redhead counterpart, who was shaking his head vigorously now.

"Dude, clan's old school. We're an armada. Someone has to teach those Space Lords they're not gods," Matt rebutted, trying to correct Mello.

"Who the fuck cares!" Mello exclaimed huffily. "You spend too much time with them when no one else understands what the hell you're saying!"

"Dude! Are you jealous?!" Matt taunted. "You monopolize my time already. Quit your bitching. Just because you can't keep up with us."

Both boys let out a stream of expletives and L was certain their verbal battle was about to turn into a physical altercation, but a crick was forming in his neck as he tried to follow the rapid flow of conversation and he wasn't certain if he could even butt in since he had no clue what they were saying. As his head oscillated between the two, he felt he might become dizzy not just from the movement but from his complete lack of understanding. He felt surrounded by alien creatures, trained to speak English but not having mastered it yet.

"Fucking idiocy, the way you talk!"

"Like you're one to talk, Nancy Boy!"

"You didn't fucking…," Mello didn't bother finishing the sentence. Instead he leapt onto the gamer, who quickly threw his DS to L for safe-keeping. Surprised his reflexes were still that quick, L caught the DS rather than try to break up the fight.

"How many f—," Mello sputtered, since Matt's hand covered his mouth. Matt successfully had sat on him too, pinning him to the ground.

"Quick L, go get me some soap. There!" Matt shouted directions to L, who obediently returned with a bar of soap.

"Matt, really? You aren't going to commit that unsanitary act on Mello," L muttered, staring in horror as Matt shoved the entire bar into Mello's mouth.

"Sit still sweetheart, it'll only hurt for a second," Matt mocked as he sat back to appreciate the position he had Mello in.

Despite his soapy predicament, Mello landed a punch to the side of Matt's head and a well-placed kick to his chest that sent him sliding butt-down across the hall.

"Don't ever fucking sit on top of me again," Mello sputtered, spitting the soap out and raggedly breathing. "Or, or I'll pummel you into the fucking ground."

"Promise?!," Matt retorted, batting his eyes flirtatiously. "I dream of the day when you do."

L experienced déjà vu. Good God! Was this how he and Light had behaved fighting? As that realization took hold, his stomach lurched.

Bloody Hell! He had better not be responsible for _that part_ of their education.


	3. Sleeping With Light

**Title:** _Drama at Julliard_

**Disclaimer:** Should read _DeathNote_ by Tsugumi Ohba (writer) and Takeshi Obata (artist)

**Rating:** R for Mello's mouth and mild sexual undertones

* * *

**Chapter Three: **_**Sleeping with Light**_

Were those tears in Mello's eyes?

L gawked in amazement as he watched his two heirs regain their wits after their spectacular showdown of verbal atrocities and fisticuffs. They both stood, Mello swiping his (teary?) eyes and Matt rubbing his bum as though it were bruised.

"You fucking git, you got soap in my eyes!" Mello began maliciously, now vigorously palming his eyes.

"Stop rubbing them, Mello," L gently chided, pulling the boy's hands away from his red, inflamed eyes. There were tears rolling down his cheeks. L didn't mention it. Mello definitely would not appreciate him noticing. "You will only make it worse."

Matt walked over contritely. "Here." He had a cold, wet rag and before Mello could protest had it pressed firmly against the other boy's face. "Your tears should flush the soap out. Just hold still, Mello!" He pleaded kindly even though Mello struggled like a mouse in a trap.

"It's cold and it's your fault and I don't want your damn help!" He whined. Although after letting out this childish complaint, he settled down and let Matt tenderly minister to his wounds.

L watched the two adolescents go back and forth. Snarky comments aside, the two boys worked and handled each other in ways produced only by a long standing friendship.

"You two are really good friends, then?" L remarked casually when the other two were quiet enough to let him finally remind them of his presence.

"Hm? Yeah, what of it?" Matt answered, pulling the rag away for the last time to examine Mello's splotchy face.

"Get out of my face," Mello confirmed he was fine by pushing Matt quickly away.

He began stomping off before Matt called after him, "Yo, Mello-man. Have you forgotten something?"

As the blonde-haired devil stomped back towards L rapidly, he pulled out a piece of paper from somewhere hidden on his leather clad body. L didn't want to know from where and he wasn't touching the sheet of paper even with rubber gloves.

Mello thrust the paper in his face. L nearly fell over backwards in avoidance of it.

"Read it. It's our demands," Mello said unusually polite for him.

L shook his head, afraid to speak for fear that the movement would force him into contact with the offensive item.

Matt couldn't believe how socially incompetent these two were. He walked over and grabbed the paper from Mello. "Dude, whadda you do to him last night?"

"Nothing," Mello muttered irritably, folding his arms against his chest and looking decidedly like he did last time before jumping Matt.

"You used the F-bomb on L, didn't you?" Matt accused. "What other horrible things did you say?"

"No, don't you fucking walk away from me, Mello!" Matt ranted as Mello turned to leave. "We're in this together! You owe it to me to stay here."

"What the – owe you? You fucking gits, both you and Near, didn't have the balls. I'm the only one who went in there last night! And Light's fucking scary. No…I don't owe you jack!"

Again, L lost something in the translation until he was magically transported back to reality with Light's presence. _Oh, this was about last night._

Matt patted the fuming adolescent's arm. "True enough," he said complacently.

"But couldn't you have shown L just a little love? Mello's glare of death was sent his way and he struggled on bravely.

Respect and Love, Mello-man. I'm always telling you. It works," he finished off sagely, looking at L for an affirmative response.

"Sometimes," L replied unconvincingly, plucking the paper he was revolted by only minutes ago from Matt's hands.

These weren't demands. It was a time allotment. A schedule of which heir had which male, L or Light, at what time of the day and for what purpose.

"You two need to work on your negotiation skills," L commented lazily.

He rolled his eyes when he saw there were no breaks for him and Light. No breaks? And hold up! There was no overlapping time for him to spend time with Light and the heirs. He was only allowed to be with Light for five hours while sleeping in bed? Okay, well, the in bed wasn't a problem, but Light needed at least five hours of sleep to function during the day. _This schedule was never going to work!_

He looked up from the sheet into the expectant faces of two adolescent boys.

"These are not acceptable." He folded up the paper and handed it back to Mello. "Revise these and I'll think about it."

"What's wrong with these times?" Mello demanded, holding his temper in hopes to keep L interested in the conversation.

"I don't see anytime for me to spend with Light," L truthfully responded.

"Why do you need any time with that fucking pretty boy out of bed?" Mello argued rudely.

L's gaze hardened and Mello knew he had pushed too far.

Matt quickly intervened, "Hold up dudes. Now everyone here cares for each other. We can figure this out, like the good little genii we are, right?" Mello? L?"

He looked between the two fuming Wammy boys and threatened slowly, "I don't need to get the soap again, do I?"

"I do not make it a habit to use foul language in front of juvenile delinquents, no matter how portentous they are," L blandly responded, but holding Mello's stare with a chilling one of his own.

"O-Kay," Matt replied skeptically.

How to divert these two? What weakness did these two have in common? Chocolate? Yes. Light? Oh yeah.

"Hey Mello-man, I just remembered," Matt began excitedly, "Near hid your stash of chocolate bars in the music room."

"What?! He fucking did what?!" Mello raved, his undivided attention pinned on the red-head itching to run away. The blonde-haired heir just might accidentally guillotine him, he was so blinded by rage.

L confused for the umpteenth time today, asked, "Why does Near take Mello's belongings and hide them in the music room?"

He talked even as he walked because Mello and Matt were racing towards the music room. Mello rigidly taking long strides like a military sergeant. Matt skipped along unfazed by everything for the moment.

"Oh L, can I have my DS back?" Matt asked.

L handed him the game console that he had pocketed during the boys' fight. "Is anyone going to answer my question?" He asked again.

"Near and Mello wage war all the time. Transformers taken hostage to be exchanged for kidnapped chocolate bars," Matt answered. "Sometimes they just glare at each other like you and he just finished doing."

L shook his head. "What are they teaching you here?"

"Oh lots," Matt replied excitedly. "It's just that Mello, Near and I… we just can get our work done faster and like to cause a little excitement to keep life interesting, you know? Boring sucks!"

L nodded in agreement before he realized he had just given the boy permission to raise Hell. _Well Bloody Hell! _

"Light being here rocks. Near loves him. Spends all his time with him and even naps in the music room," Matt went on happily, since L appeared to be on their side.

"We can get away with a lot more now," he bragged cheekily.

"How?" L didn't have a clue where this conversation would lead.

"Because you don't fucking pay attention to us when Light's around and neither does Near!" Mello bellowed as he reached the door of the music room.

He burst through it, suddenly halting mid-step and signaling L and Matt to be quiet.

A twin bed had been placed in the room sometime since the last time L had been in the room. On it, snuggled up against each other were Near and Light. L felt a shock of jealousy pierce his unemotional persona.

"See, always here. That's why we need a schedule. You leave in a month and we want a chance to be with you both too," Matt grumbled beside L as they watched Mello search for his stolen treasure.

"Won't you do something about this," Matt begged, airily waving towards Near and Light still sleeping.

Mello whispered in triumph. He grabbed the candy and headed towards the door. "C'mon you two," he pushed.

L gave one longing backwards glance at the appealing males serenely sleeping on the bed before turning to walk out.

"How often do Near and Light take naps in there?" he wondered out loud.

"Every fucking day," came the ballistic reply from Mello.

"Told you he would want a new schedule," Matt perkily mentioned.

He shot Mello a pointed glance. L hadn't responded. He was back to walking in oblivion, a frightening scowl on his face.

The scowl deepened as L thought about he should be the one sleeping with Light every day! Mello and Matt smiled conspiratorially at each other.

_Near was so busted!_


	4. Out of Control

**Title:** _Drama at Julliard_

**Disclaimer:** Should read _DeathNote_ by Tsugumi Ohba (writer) and Takeshi Obata (artist)

**Rating:** R for a smidgeon of explicit sexual content and curse words

* * *

**Chapter Four: _Out of Control..._**

They really needed to talk about the naps Light and Near were taking without him. But as L slipped back into bed, arranging the covers around his midsection to barely hide his nakedness and watching the bathroom door with a smirk, he couldn't be bothered with trivialities like his heirs and their behavior.

Also, he knew Light wanted to sneak away without waking him. _Like that would ever happen. _

A nude Light came through the door a few minutes later, toweling his hair dry and singing softly to himself. He stopped dead when he glanced up to find L's obsidian gaze on him.

"How do you do that?" he asked grumpily. "You were sound asleep when I started the shower." He grabbed his neatly folded clothing off the chair beside the connected bathroom to their bedroom, giving L a snotty glare but also a splendidly thorough view of his naked physique.

Shrugging, L replied in a deceptively innocent tone, "I have a Light-kun sixth sense."

Light just shook his head resignedly and disappeared into the bathroom once again. When he emerged a longer while later, L had fallen back asleep; Yuki curled up against his chest.

The young man chuckled at the sight. Funny how his feline protector had come to accept his… _human protector_. Light tilted his head, taking in the sweet scene the two made, before leaning down to kiss L on the forehead.

As he turned to walk away, an arm shot out and grabbed his wrist. "Did you really think you would get away so easily, Light-kun?"

"I had hoped. Cook will be angry if I'm not there to help out," Light muttered, tugging gently against his human captor. "I promised, L, and do you have any idea how many strawberries it will take for this meal?"

Both men's genius brains began the calculations instinctually, until Light noticed L's state of undress. His sigh of frustration and heated look immediately side-tracked L as well. They both questioned each other silently with pointed looks. L refusing to let go of Light's wrist, pulled the young man insistently towards the bed and _towards him._

"L, I have to go. We – can't, not right now," Light pleaded, even though his eyes kept drifting to his lover's enticing body that was becoming even more exposed from the tussle the two men were engaging in. L didn't answer; he simply tugged harder when Light tried to get free. The brunet's efforts were half-hearted at best, but still the attempt was made just in case Cook asked.

He tumbled into L's arms before he even knew he had given in completely. "Shit, you're going to muss my hair and wrinkle my clothes!"

"Easily remedied, Light-kun." L's fingers deftly unsnapped and unzipped Light's jeans and pushed both boxers and jeans' waistbands down as Light wriggled out of them.

"Yuki?" asked Light hurriedly as he pulled his shirt over his head, careful to avoid his perfectly styled hair.

L made a quick dive for the side of the bed, his body half on and half extended off in an effort to look under the bed. Glowing green eyes stared widely at him when he peered underneath it. "She's there in the corner," he said, righting himself quickly. Only to find himself pushed back down and straddled.

"Do not think –" L began.

"Exactly, L. Stop thinking and stop talking," Light commanded as his mouth forcefully covered L's.

As Light's practiced fingers invaded L, the two men still struggled even through the lust-soaked kissing for control.

"You grabbed the – Yuki?" L murmured against Light's smiling lips. "A diversion…, ah!"

Light simply shifted his position and added more pressure to his assault on L's senses. His tongue mimicking his finger's movements expected L to give into his demands. He then gently nipped his way across L's jaw-line to his ear, "It was my turn," he said seductively, gently tugging on L's earlobe with his teeth before adding another finger.

L's head lolled back and he wondered briefly, before he let his body surrender, how he and Light never seemed to get bored with each other in this manner. Over a year and they were still desperate for each other. If anything, the need to be close, to verify their unified existence burned stronger now that he and Light were not chained together. It was as though, the realization of being physically separated after all the time they had been forcefully together had been unbearably harsh for both of them, and sex replaced the chain, a visible reminder of the bond they couldn't deny.

LxLxLxLxLxLxLxLxLxLxLxLxLxL

Panting heavily, because there really was no other way to describe their breathing after such physical intensity, Light curled up and fitted himself into the grooves of L's torso. For some reason, they always ended up in this position. L stroking Light's hair that was definitely mussed, but very attractive on him. And his other free hand entwined with one of Light's.

"Light-kun, your trousers might be ringing," L mentioned softly, not wanting to disturb the quiet but knowing they couldn't avoid life much longer.

"Leave it be," Light muttered, snuggling closer and tickling L's nose with his hair.

L sneezed, the movement disrupting them and breaking the spell.

"Well fuck!" L moved to grab his own cell phone that now chirped for attention.

Light laughed. He had discovered L's exceptionally detached tone he used on the Kira case had also been part of the ruse with that persona. In actuality, L was quite British when he was comfortable, which was rare. However, his language had become a lot courser when he and Light worked together, or especially when he teased Light in the privacy of their own bedroom. He knew what it did to Light and he wasn't one to pass on any advantage he might have over his lover.

Light's phone began ringing again, and L nudged him in its direction. Hinting, without any subtlety that Light should answer it as he spoke to Watari on his own.

"Fine!" Light scrambled over L and grabbed his pants, careful not to crease them, and pulled out the Fur Elise ringing object. Since the Caller ID warned him not to pick it up, he tossed the still Beethoven playing mobile to L with a scathing, "You answer it and explain to Cook why I'm not there."

L glared at Light before hanging up on Watari without a goodbye. "Why is your phone still playing that overplayed Classical tune?"

Light froze. He didn't want to have this conversation, not now. _Shit, why would I think L wouldn't notice? _"Can it not wait until I bathe?" Light asked cautiously, heading towards the bathroom once his initial trepidation faded.

"You should not fuck with this opportunity!" L urged angrily at Light's back, having followed the younger man into the bathroom.

"You and Mello need your mouths washed out with soap," Light replied breezily, skipping right over the actual conversation and going into evasive mode.

"Matt took care of that already," L snottily reminded Light before rapidly returning them back to the topic of discussion.

"Do you seriously think you can challenge Julliard's entrance committee with that transformed, transfusion of contemporized I don't know what to call it and hide it in the most abused of Classical pieces, one that they have heard thousands of times before and think you can get away with it?"

"They said no contemporary music allowed, period," L continued. And would have probably continued if he hadn't bothered to look at Light.

The younger man stood there seething, holding himself up against the sink countertop, hands gripping it as though it were the only thing keeping him from punching L, which more than likely it was.

"Why do you and Watari care so much about this?" Light bit out, still controlling himself with the tight grip on the sink's surface.

"Why do you want to piss it away?" L asked, a bit more calmly now that he could tell Light really was trying to retain some self-dignity.

"If they want me, they will play by my rules and meet my demands, not the other way around!"

Light stared at L, willing him to listen, to understand.

"All of this," Light ranted with broad sweeping hands, "has forced me into dependency. My life has changed. You and Watari, as much as I appreciate it, have done nothing but control me. This Julliard chance, I will make it my own. You cannot manipulate them. And I will challenge them to take me as I am, not for what you and Watari gave them!"

"It was always your music that convinced them to take you," L tried arguing.

"My life, my way or I don't go," Light hissed, before he started the shower and shut the door on L.

* * *

_Fur Elise is the most over-appreciated piece of Classical music. My son adores it, but hey, he's four. And I have heard it played like L describes Light's creation in this chapter. My genius piano instructor in college took contemporary music at the time, and transposed and fused it with Fur Elise to create the most awesome contemporized rendition of that piano solo ever!_

_My apologies to anyone who feels they've been betrayed by the lack of funniness in this chapter; this fic was purposely put in the General/Romance section because I wasn't certain where it would fit._


	5. Breakfast of Grumpy Genii

**Title:** _Drama at Julliard_

**Disclaimer:** Should read _DeathNote_by Tsugumi Ohba (writer) and Takeshi Obata (artist)

**Rating:** PG-13 for foul language and mild sexual innuendos

* * *

**Chapter Five: **_**Breakfast of Grumpy Genii**_

L remained huddled over the warmth of his coffee when Light walked into the eat-in kitchen area from the back where Cook had made him finish cutting up the strawberries for a meal that the young genius had suggested for the still slumbering children of Wammy's House. The younger man's face told him he shouldn't broach their previous conversation, at least, not right now. And he was surprised but delighted when Light sat down by him, sipping his scalding hot coffee slowly, even though it was evident he was still angry.

"Did you and Cook finish them all?"

Light simply nodded yes before taking another less hesitant sip of his coffee.

L imagined the chocolate chip pancakes, sprinkled in powdered sugar, encircled with halved strawberries and smiling up happily from the plate with chocolate syrup faces that Light had described to Cook two days ago as a suggestion for making Mello and L eat healthier. He wished his heirs would hurry up and come down. They sounded enticingly sugary and wondered how healthy they really were in relation to whatever else he ate. Probably best to keep that thought to himself, considering he and Light were already on the outs over this morning's blow-up.

"I'm not eating anything that man thinks is fucking healthy for me!"

Mello's distinct drawl pierced the companionable quiet L and Light had been enjoying. He noisily swung the eat-in kitchen's door open and let it swing back to smack up against the palm-flat hand of Matt, who apparently had expected such rudeness from him. Near silently brought up the rear of the procession.

"Mello, I wish you would refrain from using such explicitly foul-mouthed language," L gruffly insinuated when Mello finally quit ranting about girly pancakes with faces and realized both Light and L were staring at him in amusement and couldn't care less if he ate the things or not.

"Well fuck!" He muttered, unconcerned about his language but displaying an unusual amount of venom over both men's lack of interest in him and his thoughts.

L went on noncommittally, like Mello could take or leave the advice, but that out of some sort of mentoring obligation he should be told. "You cannot expect people to take you seriously when everything out of your mouth makes you sound juvenile."

"He's a juvenile, a juvenile delinquent," Light barely breathed out, but L heard him and kicked him under the table. Light squeaked when some of his coffee spilt and burnt his hand, but refrained from punching L again. All the heirs stared at them in curiosity.

Were Light and L fighting?

Mello feeling hopeful decided to push L further and see what developed.

"Quit bitching, L."

L's tone took on a hard edge when he replied, "Your speech turns people off, Mello."

"And his black leather pants are supposed to turn people on?" Light openly mocked with a derisive laugh, staring at L like he couldn't have possibly picked a poorer argument for his case.

"Are you questioning my ability to know what's best for my heirs?" L asked, turning his icy glare on Light and away from Mello for the moment.

"Daddy knows best," Light bitingly retorted, before returning to sipping his coffee and waving L on. Egging him on. Daring him to continue. "Just be careful to keep your anger directed at the object of it."

"He sounds bad-ass when he talks that way," Matt threw in while L's attention was occupied by Light's angry retort.

"L sounds bad-ass when he talks that way too," Light answered Matt smugly. "Sometimes, adults don't even know the double standards they force upon children."

"What do you think, Near?"

"Don't bring Near into this conversation," L hissed irritably. Mello may have voiced an irate objection here, but Light and L were caught up in their own battle over his speech that he was completely ignored.

"Oh but shouldn't he have a say too? Maybe he thinks Mello's crassness suits him," Light replied wickedly sweet and sounding more like Lucifer than himself.

Near wanted to say something. He didn't like Light and L fighting. He didn't think Mello should have to change for anyone. Most of all, he just wanted to eat breakfast before all the other children emerged and invaded the kitchen. He hated crowds. And right now, even with his favorite people present, he felt overwhelmed by the presence of them, especially with all of them waiting for him to say anything. An anything that would further their argument.

"I know I couldn't pull off his leather pants," Near stated quietly before walking to the back door of the eat-in kitchen that led to where Cook was and exiting the room.

Mello blanched before turning scarlet from head to toe. Of course, Matt could only see his neck, face and the tips of his ears, but it was enough for the gamer to begin caterwauling at the top of his lungs in laughter.

"Bloody Hell, dude! Near's mentally undressed you…," Matt stopped mid-sentence, his face contorting into chagrin before racing towards the back door. "Fuck me! Wait up Near. Why Mello and not me?"

Light simply shook his head at Mello and L's startled looks. "You three need an etiquette class in how to comport yourselves with dignity."

But he smiled when he said it, secretly anxious to see how Near reacted to being followed and chastised by the disabused Matt.


End file.
